According to Zheng Lihong with the Yuanmingyuan park, the marble columns, representing a combination of old Chinese stone arts and Western artistic influence, were originally installed in the Western-styled part of the garden.

Zheng has not commented on the return of the columns.

Huang said the relics were not in good shape when he visited.

"I heard the museum was robbed twice. And they came to me in hope of getting a sponsor for better protection and maintenance," Huang said.

"The museum is in possession of 21 columns, and has for decades only showed seven. So transferring seven of the 21 columns to China will not be a loss to the museum," Hoyersten told China Daily.

Knowing that Huang is an active philanthropist, especially in culture, Hoyersten, now director of the Aros Museum in Denmark, said: "We know the importance of the columns both culturally and symbolically, and are convinced that the cooperation will benefit all parties involved."

After discussion under terms of no trading and no personal collecting, they decided to have Peking University, Huang's alma mater, take possession of the columns. In return, the university will send a team of experts to help sort out the remaining Chinese relics in the museum.

Hoyersten hailed the agreement as "an academic, ethical and practical solution". Hindsbo, the museum's current director, agreed, saying, "This is a unique opportunity for Kode to have an extensive collaboration with Peking University and to raise our academic research to a much higher level than we would else have been able to".

Peking University spokesperson Jiang Langlang expressed faith in the plan and said university officials are working out the details.